Emotion Regulation in Multiple Sclerosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effects of Illness Representations on Emotion Regulation in Multiple Sclerosis
IRAS ID
197713
Contact name
Bogumila Radlak
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 15 days
Research summary
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, degenerative, neurological condition affecting approximately 1 in 500 people in Scotland. The adverse impact of MS on physical abilities is well recognised. Much is also known about mood difficulties (particularly depression), as well as cognitive problems (such as attention, memory and speed of thinking).
Recent research has shown that MS is also associated with impaired emotional functioning which is likely to increase levels of depression, while reducing well-being and social engagement. Emotional functioning includes abilities to regulate feelings we experience, such as understanding, monitoring and evaluating one’s emotional states, as well as using a set of strategies to influence the subjective experience of our feelings, or to gain control over the outward expression of emotion.
The current study aims to identify in detail what emotion regulation abilities are affected in MS. We will look at the way in which different types of MS influence different emotion regulation abilities and strategies that people use. The further aim is explore whether the way in which people with MS conceptualise their illness (called illness representation) impacts on how they regulate their emotions, even after controlling for the severity of their illness. The final aim is to look at how illness representation relate to emotion regulation difficulties of people in MS and their quality of life.
The results from this study will be used to guide interventions to improve emotion regulation abilities for people with MS, adoption training techniques which have been used in other populations with brain-related illnesses. These include better information about possible emotion regulation difficulties for people with MS, their families and clinical staff, as well as adopting psychological therapies to fit with best evidence about emotional changes in MS. As a result, effective strategies to manage emotion regulation difficulties will become available to people with MS.REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SW/0082
Date of REC Opinion
29 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion